North-East farmers get N12billion farm inputs

The North-East Commodity Association (NECAS) in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), has launched the distribution of farm inputs worth over N12 billion as loan to farmers in the north-east sub-region.

Speaking at the flagging off ceremony on Thursday in Gombe, branch controller of the CBN, Abdullahi Baba Isa, said over 27, 000 farmers across the north-east states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe would benefit from the programme.

He said the farmers would be provided with fertilizer, herbicides and seedlings at a subsidize rate, which they are expected to pay back in three installment after the harvest of their farm produce.

Earlier, the National President of the NECAS, Alhaji Sadiq Umar Daware, said from Gombe alone, about 10, 000 farmers would benefit from the programme.

He said the programme was initiated by the NECAS with a hope to encourage people in the north-east to go back to farm, in order to provide raw materials for industries in the zone.

Daware assured the readiness of the farmers to pay back 90 percent of the N12 billion loans granted to them after harvest of their farm produce at the end of wet season.